Origin of a word

[Youssef Abdelnour]

Dear Nascasiens 

I’m looking for the oringin of this word 

السافور 

The word seems non arabic to me. The texte said

عندما يأمر صوت السافور لِيُبعث الأموات من القبور 

Greetings and have a good day 

Youssef Abdelnour Sj

Collegio S. Roberto Bellarmino

Via del Seminario, 120- 00186 Roma

+393477193593

[Slavomír Čéplö]

Dear Youssef,

is it perhaps derived from the Aramaic root ṣpr meaning "whistle, signal"? See e.g. Jastrow: https://www.sefaria.org/Jastrow%2C_%D7%A6%D6%B0%D7%A4%D6%B7%D7%A8_I?ven=english|London,_Luzac,_1903&lang=bi.

Where was the text composed?

Best,

Slavomí

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[Iraj Sheidaee]

Dear Youssef,

I would also be interested, like Slavomir, in knowing where the text was composed.

On the face of it, I would guess that the word سافور here originates somehow in the Hebrew שׁוֹפָר.  

However, I am assuming that this is a New Testament text (a variant of 1 Corinthians 15:52?); it seems odd therefore that a word of Hebrew origin would be found here.  The standard Syriac text uses the word ܩܰܪ݇ܢܳܐ 'horn' in this context, for which there is the Arabic cognate قرن .  Also, if ساقور here were indeed of Hebrew origin, the fact that the Hebrew שׁ is rendered in Arabic as س , would tend to indicate an early borrowing.

I may very well be completely off the mark here.  Just some thoughts.

Best,

Iraj

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[Youssef Abdelnour]

Thanks dear friends. 

The text was composed in Egypt. Il belongs to the Coptic church. 

Many thanks 

Youssef Abdelnour Sj

Collegio S. Roberto Bellarmino

Via del Seminario, 120- 00186 Roma

+393477193593

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[perpierro]

Dear all,

I found rhis word in my research also written صافور and originated in Hebrew ... it means the trumpet that calls to a gathering.

Envoyé depuis mon appareil Galaxy

-------- Message d'origine --------

De : 'Youssef Abdelnour' via North American Society for Christian Arabic Studies <nas...@googlegroups.com>

Date : 18/12/2025 12:42 (GMT+02:00)

À : nas...@googlegroups.com

Objet : Re: [nascas] Origin of a word

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[Slavomír Čéplö]

Can you provide more information on the Hebrew origin? Because I checked and the root ṣpr does not carry the meaning of a wind instrument; the OT word for "trumpet" is חֲצֹצְרָה.

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[Aimee Hannoush]

Dear Youssef,

In Syriac, there is also a word ܫܝܦܘܪܐ that is often used to describe the trumpet that will sound on the Last Day and call the dead to life/judgment. Looking up the phrase ܩܠ ܫܝܦܘܪܐ / ܩܠܐ ܕܫܝܦܘܪܐ in Simtho returns many hits related to the trumpet and the resurrection, including some that also mention the "last horn" (ܩܪܢܐ ܐܚܪܝܬܐ) of 1 Corinthians 15:52.

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[George Kiraz]

I second Aimee's reply. 

George
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[Bishoy Habib]

Hello Youssef and all, 

The root صفر meaning "to whistle" is an ancient one in Arabic. Here is a line of poetry using this root that dates to 490 A.D. 

However, as others have pointed out, the root exists in other Semitic languages. You're right to suspect that it's not Arabic though. Arabic normally uses the word صفارة to refer to the instrument that you use to whistle. I wonder if the author was either bilingual in Arabic and Syriac or was translating from Syriac or Hebrew.